US Army Combat Medic loadout

[cavtroop]

I don't have anything of real meat to add here - I never made it past E-4 in the US Army, so... :-D

I just want to say that I find this conversation fascinating. It's wildly interesting to see the different leadership styles, both of individuals, organizations and whole armies.

So, thanks to everyone participating, that's why I love this forum

[Graebarde]

Very intersting discussion gentlemen. One thing that was not address, or if it was I missed it and appologize, was the real reason for uniformity of the uniform/LBE... yeah, it's pretty when everyone looks the same, but I had an old sergeant tell me way back when I asked the same question (Thing about Yanks is we have to have a REASON for everything.. ). His response made the best sense I've heard, "So you can find your buddies aid pouch in the dark.. or his magazines or what ever.. time in combat is critical.. you don't have time to search and dig for something critical. When everyone has said item in same location as you.. easy to find." Yes there are exceptions made, but uniformity for this reason makes great sense. Funny though MOST highers I've seen did it for looks rather than functional reasons *sigh*

Grae

[Eddie]

Very intersting discussion gentlemen. One thing that was not address, or if it was I missed it and appologize, was the real reason for uniformity of the uniform/LBE... yeah, it's pretty when everyone looks the same, but I had an old sergeant tell me way back when I asked the same question (Thing about Yanks is we have to have a REASON for everything.. ). His response made the best sense I've heard, "So you can find your buddies aid pouch in the dark.. or his magazines or what ever.. time in combat is critical.. you don't have time to search and dig for something critical. When everyone has said item in same location as you.. easy to find." Yes there are exceptions made, but uniformity for this reason makes great sense. Funny though MOST highers I've seen did it for looks rather than functional reasons *sigh*

Grae

Apology accepted.

[pmulcahy11b]

Now on the flip side, you get some real turds as well. Guys that get promoted when they shouldn't. Know people that take care of them. Know how to work the system. The usual stuff.

Yes. Like my stepmonster. 28 years in the Marines, promoted all the way to Sergeant Major -- and yet has never displayed any sense of personal honor or integrity. To me, it's baffling how something like his career can happen.

Anyway...rant over.

[cavtroop]

Yes. Like my stepmonster. 28 years in the Marines, promoted all the way to Sergeant Major -- and yet has never displayed any sense of personal honor or integrity. To me, it's baffling how something like his career can happen.

Anyway...rant over.

It'd be interesting to know if he was combat arms, or not. I've seen non-combat arms SFC, SGM etc that have zero morals - mostly in supply. But I've not dealt with one that was corrupt. Some serious ars*holes, but not morally corrupt. Though they must exist, I'm guessing they do much more so in the support roles vs. combat arms.

[Eddie]

It'd be interesting to know if he was combat arms, or not. I've seen non-combat arms SFC, SGM etc that have zero morals - mostly in supply. But I've not dealt with one that was corrupt. Some serious ars*holes, but not morally corrupt. Though they must exist, I'm guessing they do much more so in the support roles vs. combat arms.

According to the Marine Captain in my class, the Corp tends to mix them up. Your First Sergeants and Sergeants Major could come from any career field into that slot and some of them just don't cut the mustard.

[perardua]

I get the sense, then, that you use NCOs almost, if not exactly, identically to us! I'd post more, but I'm entertaining filthy students!

[cavtroop]

According to the Marine Captain in my class, the Corp tends to mix them up. Your First Sergeants and Sergeants Major could come from any career field into that slot and some of them just don't cut the mustard.

Ah, interesting - I don't have much experience (read: none) with Marines.

And my line above: "But I've not dealt with one that was corrupt."

should read: "But I've not dealt with one combat arms that was morally corrupt."

*sigh* so much for proof-reading

[perardua]

To amplify my last quickly, we do all the things Eddie described, using NCOs in senior staff positions, for training officers at the service academies, we had Corporals leading patrols, Sergeants leading multiples and Flights, going on high powered courses (I really can't explain how demanding a Section commanders and Tac Sergeants courses are, suffice to say they are not easy).

[jester]

Actually, just had a thought that might seem odd - the film Black Hawk Down is pretty much a film about what happens when you don't bring the right kit for the job (even if they job may not have been well-advised in the first place). I can honestly say it's why I never went left the vehicle for any length of time without at least my HMNVS on me somewhere.

Blackhawk Down is a good teaching tool, but realisticaly, the mission was planned to last all of 30 minutes on the ground and taking place in the day. Of course the mission went south in so many ways. And all other options were slow in comming. <Just watched it an hour ago, lived durring it in uniform and tried to make it to the theater several times> But, there is a difference between bailing out of a vehicle in hostile territory, operating in enemy territory intentionaly and well the whole, "shit happens" aspect.

I will say, one can not plan for every event. We can, but its unrealistic unless you want your team bogged down with all manner of gear. We are operating in the desert, but hey it can snow, so lets bring our goretex. There is a river, so we need a zodiak. I mean the line needs to be drawn.

You mention the nigh vision aspect of Blackhawk Down as your example. But, they also ran out of ammo too and medical supplies. Which would be expected to be used durring the action, but, how much of those would you want to have on a raid After all the purpose of a "Raid" is to be quick, in and out, so you travel light.

As for burning your dinner, how can you tell I mean you folks in the UK normaly serve your food like that don't you

[Eddie]

Blackhawk Down is a good teaching tool, but realisticaly, the mission was planned to last all of 30 minutes on the ground and taking place in the day. Of course the mission went south in so many ways. And all other options were slow in comming. <Just watched it an hour ago, lived durring it in uniform and tried to make it to the theater several times> But, there is a difference between bailing out of a vehicle in hostile territory, operating in enemy territory intentionaly and well the whole, "shit happens" aspect.

So what you're saying is that you were just as there as the rest of us, right Okay, no problem.

If you guys want, I can invite Chaplain Struecker, Keni Thomas, or a host of other people who were actually there to the forum. I mean, if we're going to throw around pedigrees and justifications, I'd say the guys that were there have the best ones, right

I will say, one can not plan for every event. We can, but its unrealistic unless you want your team bogged down with all manner of gear.

Let's just agree to disagree on priorities of planning and micromanagement vs. doing your job.

We are operating in the desert, but hey it can snow, so lets bring our goretex.

Well, if it is snowing it means it's cold, right Is that in itself not enough reason to have a jacket I don't know, that's just me thinking about mitigating the accidental risk of cold weather injuries...

There is a river, so we need a zodiak. I mean the line needs to be drawn.

Absolutely, no one has said anything about not using common sense. In fact, since you joined this thread you've been nothing but derisive and argumentative. I'm wondering is it me, officers in general, or me as an officer

I started posting on this forum again after a long hiatus to cool down and some other reasons, but I gotta say, I'm not feeling too welcome right now.

You mention the nigh vision aspect of Blackhawk Down as your example. But, they also ran out of ammo too and medical supplies. Which would be expected to be used durring the action, but, how much of those would you want to have on a raid After all the purpose of a "Raid" is to be quick, in and out, so you travel light.

I don't understand the purpose of this part of your post. Eighteen hours of combat tends to eat through ammo and medical supplies. Is that the point you're trying to make

[HorseSoldier]

The more appropriate question would be how do we not use them.

But we also hold them to a higher standard than other nations do. I guess it's the level of responsibility and professionalism that we expect from them. For instance, in the Iraqi army, NCOs to the level of Sergeant Major really have no authority. It's the officers that run their army. Stuff that a Staff Sergeant or a high-speed Sergeant would do in our Army, would have a Captain in charge of it.

We don't do much with them that's very remarkable or different than other 1st World nations, from what I've personally seen. Sure we do more with them than developing nations, but a big part of that is quality issues, NCO recruiting policies (i.e. those nations that rely on shake & bake NCO tracks for conscripts), and such.

[Eddie]

We give them a lot more professional education than anyone else.

I'm just saying.

Your opinions may vary.

[jester]

I feel slighted!

If I were to speak your words I'd say,

"I haven't met one who wasn't moraly corrupt" But, then again morals are totaly different, as the saying goes, "I'd trust ya with my life, but not my money of my life."

Eddie, I will be cutting and pasting and replying in detail. Some I can agree on, some not just no, but hell no! And what do you mean by the crack of "contrary to what Jester thinks" I do have a low general opinion of occiffers <spelling is intentional> but I have had the priveledge to have served with some stellar ones as well. Overall though, most in the regular service are interested in bettering their careers even at the cost of their men. And this info has come from some of the stellar officers I served with.

As for Marines, yes I am for a time in the 80s and 90s. And this is also something to think about, of course we do things differently. How we operate, and are organized is similiar more to the UK military than the Army. In my unit we operated frequently with UK forces and in all honesty, we operated with less issue with them than when we worked with U.S. Army forces, even putting the rivalry aside.

I will make one other remark, you are a reserve officer So, do you have regular experience And the complaint of having inferior equipment. We always had inferior and obsolete equipment when compared to the Army which makes the mission harder but it is still accomplished.

Ah, interesting - I don't have much experience (read: none) with Marines.

And my line above: "But I've not dealt with one that was corrupt."

should read: "But I've not dealt with one combat arms that was morally corrupt."

*sigh* so much for proof-reading

[Eddie]

I will make one other remark, you are a reserve officer So, do you have regular experience And the complaint of having inferior equipment. We always had inferior and obsolete equipment when compared to the Army which makes the mission harder but it is still accomplished.

Nope, Active Duty Army since 1996.